Timber merchants complain

by Deepal Warnakulasuriya

The Kaduwela - Kolonnawa Timber Merchants' Association said that their long term request to the authorities for free timber transport permits for their customers has fallen on deaf ears. The Association says that earlier their customers were able to transport timber with the merchants bill when they paid the relevant tax.

Kaduwela - Kolonnawa Timber Merchants' Association President Kasun Gunawardena told the media that the facility to transport timber with the merchants' bills had been permitted only in Municipal Council areas by a Gazette Notification in February 2005. He said that the problem is not the payment but the procedure.

"A customer who wants to transport timber has to inform the Grama Sevaka, and the Government Agent and Wildlife authorities (if any).

There after he has to wait for two to three weeks, to collect the permit from the Grama Sevaka. Although the permit costs only Rs. 70 or Rs. 100 he has to spend over three to four weeks in the process. This has an adverse effect on the timber industry", Gunawardena said.

The Association's General Secretary Lal Nanayakkara said that the work of timber merchants had gone smoothly and they earnestly request the authorities to permit their customers to transport the timber with their merchants' bills.